hoffmann



Dec. 3, 1929. M. F. G. HOFFMANN INDICATOR Filed Sept. 12, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3, 1929. M. F. G. HOFFMANN 1,737,657

INDICATOR Filed Sept. 12, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M. F. G. HOFFMANN INDICATOR Filed Sept. 12. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet ?atented Iec. 3, i929 UNET STES ArsNT caries INDICATOR Application tiled September 12, 1927, Serial No.

My invention relates to indicators and more particularly to indicators of.;the type in which movable parts, as bands or-strips, bearing certain data, are displaced with re- .5 spect to stationary' marks, and itis an-object of my invention to provide an appliance of the kind described which is simple, easy to- I may construct my indicator as ailatIl board or table, or as a casing surrounding a rotary cylinder on which thefbands are.

wound. In the latter inStance,;-I may provide on the cylinder indications o-time,as'

the months of a year,'and their days, and 'se- 35 cure the'ends of the bands' to the cylinder in variouspositions so as to indicate the expiration of periods, as, for instance, delivery times. The cylinder is moved on as the 'time elapses and the period still available is read :f3 on a lstationary mark.

In the accompanying drawings, indicators embodying my invention are illustrated by way of example.

` 3 ed aslboards or tables,

Figs. 8 to 11 illustrate an indicator hav-i ingl a rotary cylinder.

More particularly,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an indicator for a single kind of indications,

Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3`is a Section on:the 'line IIl-III in Fig. l, on a larger scale,

Figs. 4 and 41'are detail views showing part of the upper andlower edges of the central plate in the table,

Fig, 5 is a section on the line V-eV inhinged above theholder so as to'conceal the Fig. 4,

59 Fig. 6 is an elevation of anindicator for Figs. 1 to 7 illust-rate indicators construe#l 1 inso'mefother lightgcolour, and

219,128-gand in Germany September 24, 1926.

two types ofindications, for instance, positive and negative data, on either side of a neutral or zero line,

Fig. 7 is a section on the line VII-VII in Fig. 6,

` Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly broken away, of an indicator havinga rotary drum,

Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are part sections on the lines IX-'-IX, XX, and QI-XI in Fig. 8.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5, the board or table 'is'built up from three plates, aback l, a central-plate 2 @and a `front plate or grid 3; 44 are endless bands supported on the central plate 2 and'inserted in 'slots 6 near the upper edge ofthe plate, as shown in Fig. 4, and guided'infrece'sses 7 atthe lower edge of--the plate, as shown in Fig. 4?, The slots 6T are preferably'. `staggered 5 are narrow ridges==formedonthe central lates'o'as to extendalong fthe edges'of the ands on that reach whichrds'eitposed'between the bars of the grid 3,'and" keep the bands'rom interfering. zfTheitwo lateral edges of 'the' plate 2 are offsett aszshown 4a't'2 1n Fig. 3, and are engaged b the correspondingly olse't'edges lof the-.back l so that thetwo edges are brought' up 'Ito the borde'r ofthe grid 3.

:'Ihegrid 3'is quite fiat and comprises the two lateral; edges 3', 3 referred to, an upper edge'3f,.a lower edge'", and a set of vertical bars 9 extending between the upper and lower edges so as to partly expose the bands 4 between the bars. The' three parts are connec-ted'by rivets :8 which. may be hollow as shown, and .serve for securing-the board to a wallor other support.

The bands4'arepartly whitel or painted raduat-ed orotherwise marked on the light elds, and those parts which are not graduated etc., are painted black o'rsome other dark colour, and the face of the'gid 3 is painted in the same dark colour s'o that the light portions of the bands,-with their g'raduations etc., are plainly pickedl out. l0, 10 are cards or tickets 1nse'rted'in a holder at the upper edge 3 of the' grid pand bearing indications relating to the bands below them, and 1l is a fiap tickets ,from inspection by unauthorized per sons. 12 are a row of holes in the upper edge 3 which are preferably duplicated (not shown) in the lower edge 3" and serve for (he insertion of marking rods 13 if it is desired to designate certain bands for particular attention.

In operation, the'bands 4-are. so adjusted as to indicate certain v'data with lreference to the tickets in the holder, for instance, the supply in stock of .goodsV The extent t0 which the lighter 'portions ofthe bands are visible from the upper edges of the inten.A

stir-es of the liars 9 is a measure for the quantity or ,-other datum indicated. It will .be understood that the bands will be moved in downward direction for adjusting them but I am not limited to this, as 'obviously the arrangement may be reversed without-departing from my invention.

To facilitate the operation of the bands, ridges or other projections 1'4',or -holes 14', may be providedwhere the 'light lportions border on the dark ones.

Particularly important indications are picked out by rods 13, as described.

Referring now to F igs. 6 and 7, this board is substantially similar tothe boarddescribed with reference to -F igs. lto 5,' and corresponding parts have lbeen. marked' with the same reference numerals. .In :this instance, however, the 'grid -3 is divided into an upper and lower field by ah'olizontwlstri-p l5,fand ase't o'fbands'll and .41is 'allotted'toeaeh eld. 'Dhe stripal constitutes the `'neutraler zero line, and-slots 6,16 are'- formedin the central plate2 beneaththe strip. :Similarslots 6'are formed 'below -the upper'edge 3,"and recesses 7areformed in the lower edge'of thecentra'l plate 2 so 'that' the: bands 4 'of the upper set are guided in two slots 6, andthe rbands V4 of t-he lower :set are guided in a slot'6 and a` recess .7, for each band. The bands'4 of the upper set make positiveA indications, 'that fis, their lightportionsfexte'nd upwards from the upper edge of the strip l15, .and conversely,

the .bands 4.rinake negativeindications, their light portions extendin-gdownwards from the loweredge of -thestrip A15. It follows-that the positive or ne ative 'portion iueach vertical -colux'nn wil-l e covered up by the dark portions-of the corresponding.

bands 4, 4, as clearly shown in Fig. v6.

Referring now to F-igsiS 'to 11, -this indicator is 'equipped with a rotary cylinder '21. 42' is thefbase plate,1andr22 are the end walls of acasing 38 in which thccylinder is Carried and adapted to be rotated by a knurled handle 23. At one Aend the cylinder is provided with a. graduation of some sort, for in- Astance, dates. are depressions in the cylinder, one for each step of the graduation, in the present instance, for each day of the year, or a shorter period. 26 is a spring catch on the casing 38 which is adapted to engage one ot' the depressions 25 so that the cylinder 21 is arrested as often as it has been rotated through an interval of its graduation, in the present instance1 through one day. 28 and 29 are sets of spring rollers carried on stationary shafts below the cylinder 21, and and 31 are bands, one of which is carried on each rollerof-the sets A28 and 29, respectively. In the present instance, it will be assumed that the indicator is for dates of delivery of ce1 tain classes of .goods inscribed on tickets 44 and generally indicated by the letters A, B,

-eteon the casing 38. A pair of bands 30 and 3l corresponds to each class of goods. One of them, 30, which mayy be .painted iwhite,serves for indicating the end of the delivery period, and theother, which may 'be yellow, :or any other colour different from lthat of the band 30, serves for indicating an extension allowed on the period, if any. The surface of the cylinder21 is painted in a third, preferably dark, colour,so that the bands will be plainly observed.

Each hand30-and 31 is threaded through a slot 33 or 34. in a vertical stop plate 32 on the base plate -42 at lthe rear -of roller sets 28, 29, and provided with a Ushaped bracket 35, 35', respectively,'at its end which cannot pass through the slotsintheplate 32. '-Springs, not shown, on each roller-ofthe two sets, 'tend to rotate the rollers-in the direction ot the arrows 37,37'so:as to Wind up the bandsas far as the partition '32 permits. ".g.

'IlheFbrackets atthe'ends'of-the hands A30,31 are'adapted to be inserted in holes 36 in the cylinder 21 which -extend in .parallel rows, each corresponding toene-day. l

T'hegeasing-SS is divided at 43 and its xfront wall 39'as'wvellastsrear wallf38 are adapted to :be turneddofwn on4 hinges-42 and 24, resl'yectively.` The hinge 442 alt the fronto'f-the easing is arranged at the top of a vertical plate, and above the hinge vextends an inclined pulpit-like face 43 for the freception of the tickets 44'on vwhich may be inscribed classes of goods, order Nos., and 'other information.

The front plate -39 is grid shaped for about one-fourthof the perimeter ofthe cylinder 21, and paint-ed some dark colour, preferably black. The bands 30,31 arelexposed inthe interstiees of the grid bals 40. A bar 41, painted some bright colour, as red, extends in front ot the bars and the cylinder 21 is rotated each day in the direction of the arrow 27, Fig. 9, so :that the date indicated on its graduation corresponding 'to that day, appears below the date bar 41.

In operation, and assuming that a certain class of goods, G, must be delivered on May 31st., the front and rear walls of the casing are turned down about their hinges 42 and the band 30 is nnwound from its roller in the direction of the arrow 45 and its bracket is inserted in the parallel row of holes 36 for May 31st. If an extension is permitted, the corresponding band 31 is also pulled out and its bracket 85 is secured in the row of holes 36 for the extended period, and the casing is closed.

As the cylinder is moved forward each day, it will become apparent at a glance how many days ot' the period are still open, and when the time is up, the bracket 35 will appear at the level ot the date bar 4l. lf the delivery cannot be kept within time, the bracket 35 will move beyond the date bar and7 it an extension has been arranged for, the band 3l will now indicate its elapsine.

lVhen the goods have been delivered, the brackets 35, 35 are detached Yfrom the holes 36 in the cylinder 2l, and the bands are then rewound on their rollers tor further use. As mentioned, their brackets are retained by the plate 32.

l claim:

1. An indicator comprising a casing, a dark colored grid on said Casing, and light colored flexible bands bearing indications and arranged side by side and adapted to be adjusted in parallel rows in said easing and to be exposed in the interstices ot the grid bars.

2. An indicator comprising casing, a graduated support adapted to be displaced with respect to said casing, bands caring inscriptions adapted to be secured at ditterent points to said support so as to partake in its movement, a grid on said casing in the interstices ot which said bands are exposed, and a mark on said casing indicating the relative position of said graduated support and said casing.

3. An indicator comprising a casing, a graduated support adapted to be displaced wi h respect to said casing, rollers carried to rotate in said casing, bands bearing inscriptions secured to said rollers and adapted to be temporarily connected with said support, means Jfor returning the rollers to their initial positions, a grid on said casing in the interstices ot which said bands are exposed, and a niark on said casing indicating the relative position ot said graduated support and said casing.

4. An indicator comprising a casing, a graduated support adapted to be displaced with respect to said casing, rollers carried to rotate in said casing, said rollers being so made to tend to return to their initial position, bands bearing inscriptions secured to said rollers and adapted to be temporarily connected with said support, a grid on said casing in the interstices of which said bands are exposed, and a mark on said casing` indicating the relative position otn said graduated support and said casing.

An indicator comprising a casing, a graduated cylinder adapted to be rotated in said casing, bands bearing inscriptions having their inner ends mounted in the easing and adapted to be secured at their outer ends at different points to said cylinder so as to partake in its rotation, a grid on said easing in the interstices of which said bands are eX- posed, and a mark on said casing indicating the relative position of said cylinder and said casing.

6. An indicator comprising a easing having walls adapted to be opened out, a graduated support adapted to be displaced with respect to said casing, bands bearing inscriptions adapted to be secured to said support so as to partake in its movement, a grid on said casing in the interstices ot which said bands are exposed, and a mark on said casing indicating the relative position ot said graduated support and said casing.

7. An indicator comprising a casing, a graduated support adapted to be displaced with respect to said casing, bands bearing inscriptions adapted to be secured to said support so as to partake in its movement, projections on the ends of said bands, a slotted plate in said casing through which said bands are threaded so as to retain them by their extended ends. a grid on said casing in the interstices ot which said bands are exposed, and a niark on said casing indicating the relative position of said `graduated support and said casing.

8. An indicator comprising a casing, a graduated cylinder adapted to be rotated in said easing, bands hearing inscriptions adapted to be secured in parallel rows ot holes in said cylinder so as to partake in its rotation, a grid on said casing in the interstices ot which said bands are exposed, and a mark on said casing indicating the relative position of said cylinder and said casino.

9. An indicator coniprisingl a casing, a grid on said casing, a plurality ot flexible hands bearing indications and arranged in iarallel rows in said casing, means tor adjustingthe bands in said casing so that the indications thereon will be exposed in the interstices ot the grid, and means tor returning the bands to their initial positions.

10. An indicator eomlirising a casina a graduated support. adapted to be displaced with respect to said casing, flexible bands bearing indications having the inner ends vieldably connected with the inner casing and adapted to be extended and having their outer ends temporarily secured at ditierent points to said support so as to partake in its movement, means tor returning the ha nds to their initial positions, a grid on said casing in the interstices ot which said bands are exposed, and a mark on said casing indicatingv the relative position ot said graduated support and said casing.

n testimony whereof l atlix inv signature.

MAX FRITZ GUsTAv HorFMANN. 

